2015 CxB Week Drabbles
by PriestessOfNox
Summary: CxB Week, the slash/yaoi pairing of Clark/Brainy aka Superman Brainiac Five. Themes: LET THE GAMES BEGIN MONDAY, Spiritual Tuesday, Workforce Wednesday, Angst Thursday, Fanfiction Friday, Crossover Saturday, Artists/Writer's Choice Sunday. There will be several crossovers throughout but since I could only pick two categories I figured I'd just stick with LoSH.
1. Wreck It Brainiac

09/21/15

First day of CxB Week 2015!

Theme: LET THE GAMES BEGIN MONDAY!

Wreck It Brainiac

The video game "Save Us Superman" was a relatively newly designed video game, designed to look like the old 8-bit graphics of the early days of arcades. In the few months since the game has been released to the video game store, no one had made it passed the first villain, designed after the original Brainiac. This made things a little boring for 8-bit Brainiac Five who, given his name, assumed he was a villain.

At night the characters of the game would wonder out and mingle with the other video games, getting to know their new home. Brainiacs One through Four stuck together, true to their "bad guy code", and often caused trouble, closely watched by the Surge Protector, whom looked a lot like one of the background cop characters of "Save Us Superman", but Brainiac Five never felt comfortable around his fellow Brainiacs. He especially felt chills whenever around Brainiac Four so he avoided her whenever possible.

Even as he avoided his namesakes, the characters from his own game and others avoided him. The Superman character was the only one who would talk to him freely but he was nice to everyone, even trying to be civil to the other Brainiacs when not in a game with a player. Of course the other Brainiacs ignored him but Brainiac Five found Superman's personality refreshing, if not a bit naïve.

A lot of nights Brainiac Five would find himself sitting on a bench in the Game Junction with Superman and listening to the hero tell him about the games of the day and the background characters he saved which, of course, Superman all knew by name. It made Brainiac Five wish someone would get to his level so he would have something to contribute to the conversation but he didn't want to fight against Superman either.

Only a week had passed before Superman became known as a universally nice hero and soon enough Brainiac Five had to share him with other "Bad Guys" whom had no one who would associate with them besides each other. Nearly none of these characters were bad outside their games but it didn't stop them from being isolated and sometimes flat out shunned. The only Bad Guy whom seemed to have "Good Guy" friends outside of Superman was a character named Ralph, whom normally rushed by them to visit the racing game called "Sugar Rush".

One day Ralph stuck around to talk to Brainiac Five while Superman was swarmed by other Bad Guys and they got to talking about programming.

Apparently in the "old days" of video games characters had set roles and knowledge but were their own person outside of game play. Some things were instinctual even if they didn't become aware of those instincts until they came up in game play. Moreover a Bad Guy wouldn't necessarily be a bad person outside of game play, even if their programmed abilities could cause trouble, such as Ralph having a temper and a tendency to wreck stuff while under the control of that temper.

That rule of thought went out the window when "Call of Duty" came to the arcade and their Bad Guys, the Cy-Bugs, were revealed to be mindless destroyers that had no clue they were in a game. They would continue to destroy outside of game play if the game didn't have a recall function to stop them. Ever since then new games that came to the arcade had Bad Guys that were either mindless in their tasks or true to their villainous nature outside the games like the Brainiacs.

"But you're not like them," Ralph was quick to say. "I'm sure others will see that too and things will get better."

The Good Guy characters slowly became less afraid of him and the other Bad Guys as they associated with Superman. Still Brainiac Five always felt uncomfortable around both groups and he couldn't get Superman to himself anymore so he spent more time alone, ignoring invitations to a Bad Guy Support group from one of Pac-Man's ghosts.

Soon enough Brainiac Five took to exploring his own game, trying to figure out its limits. It didn't take long for him to find a blacked out area outside the game play area of Metropolis that was different then the end of their world which was the back of the game or the front of the game with the screen for the player to view in. It was just black like a solid, unmovable veil.

Brainiac Five knocked onto the black and someone on the other side knocked back.

After some asking around among the Bad Guys, Brainiac Five learned that black out areas like that were bonus levels that were locked in their section until a player unlocked them. After they were unlocked once the bonus level characters were free to roam the game, and leave the game, outside of game play like the others but until then they were trapped. Bonus levels were different than normal Bad Guys, even ones whom the player had reached at their level yet, or Guide Characters that lead the way to prizes or bonus levels because they always had to be available whereas the Bonus characters were almost like a different game entirely and unlocking the Bonus Level was what connected their worlds.

Superman, whom had been listening in the whole time, thought that it was horrible. It frankly wasn't right for those characters to be trapped like that and they had to do something to save them.

Again Brainiac Five found Superman's optimism refreshing, if not a bit unrealistic. Still the Bad Guys joined Superman in trying to break down the veil but even with Superman throwing Ralph against the wall, fists held out to be like a hammer, did little more than give it the tiniest crack.

After the villains returned to the games for the day, Brainiac Five stayed and picked at the crack, unable to widen it but lucky enough to be there when someone on the other side spoke. There were lots of characters on the other side, waiting to be unlocked, and Brainiac Five got to know them quite well over time. They were even quite nice and friendly to Brainiac Five, even dubbing him with the nickname "Brainy".

When Superman came to visit Brainiac Five at the crack in the veil, Superman beamed and asked if he could call him Brainy too and, Brainiac Five could not find it in himself to refuse. He liked having Superman to himself at night again, even if he was sharing him with the people on the other side of the veil. Still this felt much more comfortable than being surrounded by people at the Junction.

One day the Lois Lane Guide Character, that gave the player instructions and game hints after being rescued, came and got Brainiac Five from the crack during game play. She told him that someone was playing the game, beating levels one through three and currently on four, meaning that Brainiac Five would have to fight Superman soon.

Brainiac Five felt sick. He didn't want to fight but he knew if he didn't he could risk his game being unplugged.

"That's not why I brought to here," Lois hissed at him when Brainiac Five moved to go where the other Brainiacs waited to be summoned. "Look at who's playing."

Moving to the edge of where they could see the screen but not be seen by the player, Brainiac Five wondered if he had a virus. On the other side of the screen was him. Obviously not him-him but someone who looked exactly like him, from the green skin and magenta eyes to the Brainiac emblem on his forehead and chest.

Part of Brainiac Five wanted to fly, for he was the only character except Superman who could even though he didn't know why, up to the screen and demand answers but he reasonably knew that would definitely get the game unplugged.

There was music Brainiac Five never heard before and he realized that it meant that the player had defeated Brainiac Four. He prepared himself to fight but, unlike how the Bad Guys had described to him, he didn't feel a sudden adrenaline to rush into battle. Instead his outlined started to glow purple, just like Lois' outline did after being rescued.

Brainiac Five was not a villain; he was a guide.

Suddenly Brainiac Five knew exactly what to do. He joined Superman on screen and congratulated him on defeating his "evil ancestors" but he needed his help "in the future".

Together Brainiac Five and Superman played a mini game to "power" the Time Bubble and once they had collected enough points they used the Time Bubble to go to the future and the veil came down.

All around them now stood the owners of the voices Brainiac Five had longed to meet; Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Triplicate Girl, Bouncing Boy, Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf. It only look him a moment to realize he shared matching rings and belt buckles with them and he hoped the player wouldn't see him smile.

The player beat the bonus level as easily as the Brainiacs and the game's sky dropped confetti on them and they danced in celebration as they were programmed to do.

"See, I told you, you weren't a villain," said Superman but it wasn't the Superman Brainiac Five knew. It was the one on the other side of the screen with the other him.

"Well don't expect me to dance about it," the player Brainiac Five seemed to be blushing and Game Brainiac Five could have sworn the other Superman was moving in to kiss player Brainiac Five's cheek when the "Game Over" icon blocked his vision.


	2. The Wager

9/22/15

Spiritual Tuesday

I hesitated to write this one at first. I love the Book of Life movie but I didn't want to be insulting toward anyone who celebrates the Day of the Dead. I talked to my friend Abi, who is Mexican and celebrates, and she said she thought it was fine since these are fictional characters and not anyone in real life making a mockery of it. I also had her read it beforehand to be safe so I hope everyone enjoys it.

The Wager

Though Superman had never visited Mexico in his time, he had an idea of what it looked like and he probably wouldn't have recognized it from the 30th century Mexico now before him. It was as grand as New Metropolis with certain timelessness New Metropolis had lost over the centuries with flea markets and street vendors standing strong besides the towering stores. As well as colors and life among the people and aliens that called Mexico home that New Metropolis couldn't even imagine among the business centric, futuristic stoic atmosphere that had begun to develop even in Clark's time.

All around them there were candles instead of electric lights as all of Mexico prepared for Dio De Los Muertos, or as Superman knew it better as, the Day of the Dead. It felt bitter sweet that among the smiles, candied sugar skulls and joy all around them as people celebrated their departed loved ones that he was there to claim the body of his recently departed friend and former fellow Legionnaire Brainiac Five.

Only a few months had passed since Brainy had become human, or rather a completely organic Coluan, a different entity that further separated him from his cybernetic kin. Months since any of the Legion had seen or heard from him after he disappeared during Superman X's inauguration into the Legion before the clone returned to his own future.

The coroner that had called said Brainiac Five had been there researching the few remaining infectious diseases even though there were no current cases in Mexico it had one of the few remaining institutes with labs dedicated to eradicating them. The coroner had been concerned on what to do with "the body" as he didn't want to be the one to anger the Coluan home world by performing an autopsy on their only organic member. He had contacted the Legion to try to find a way to contact the mostly isolated planet.

It was Lightning Lad that spoke for most of the Legion when he said, "Screw Colu" and that they would be the ones to claim Brainy's remains.

Even with a space craft, the flight to Mexico had been unbearably long. It gave time for the silence to weigh upon them until it had to be broken.

Triplicate Girl was the first to wonder out loud on how Brainy had died. Timber Wolf was the one to suggest maybe it had been a lab accident. Lightning Lad tried to jest that Brainy probably just forgot that he had to stop working to eat but he wasn't able to look at anyone when he said it.

Superman couldn't theorize with them, or offer comfort or even speak at all. All he could do was listen to them and stare out the window during the flight, silently gaze around at the candles as they made their way to the hospital and listen again as the coroner spoke.

Though the coroner still had not done an autopsy, he had done blood work and other non-invasive tests and screenings. He informed them that Brainy had not been in any sort of accident, that he had not been infected by anything or poisoned. The scans showed no broken bones and all of Brainy's organs looked healthy; it was like he had just stopped living, looking like he had fallen asleep in the lab when the other lab techs had come in for work in the morning.

There was more the coroner had to say, electric paperwork to fill out so they could take Brainy home and make arrangements but Superman could not listen to anymore. He snuck away and found the morgue.

Brainy was still lying on the metal slab when Superman found him, covered by an old white sheet, which felt heavier than any building as he pulled it back. The Coluan was still fully dressed in the clothes he had been found in; the purple and black uniform he had left in and a white doctor's coat.

Physically the months did not seem to have done Brainy any harm until this point. He didn't look like he had lost or gained any weight and his clothes were all in good condition. His hair had gotten longer, looking much like the style Brainy had when Superman first met him, though Brainy had pulled it back in a loose ponytail, for work no doubt.

Without thinking, Superman pulled out the hair band, absently slipping it onto his wrist and tucked back some of Brainy's bangs before cupping his cheek. He had expected Brainy to wake up and admonish him for invading his personal space but Brainy didn't stir; Brainy's cheek held no warmth.

"Why did you leave me Brainy?" Superman asked, never thinking he's get an answer.

"From the looks of things his body couldn't handle the strain of being completely organic," a woman's voice made Superman jump and look towards the source.

The red haired woman with shining blue eyes seemed to have just materialized from the shadows in the corner of the room, wearing an old nurses uniform that Superman was sure hadn't been in use since the 1950's, complete with a little white hat embroiled with a red cross. She made herself at home though, hitting buttons and showing Superman the scans the coroner had made of Brainy's insides, looking normal from what Superman's mediocre medical knowledge could tell.

"Coluans haven't been completely organic outside of childhood for centuries," the woman continued. "They've evolved to be depended on their upgrades, even the relatively leisurely life of a researcher became too much for Querl's body to handle and he just shut down," she sighed, "Though he lasted longer here than he would have in the Legion; with that kind of strenuous activity he would have been lucky for have lasted a week."

This all made Superman have many questions but the only one he could ask was, "Querl?"

"Oh sorry," the woman smiled gently at him, with a sort of understanding that Superman felt came from something akin to knowing even more than she was letting on. "You knew him as Brainiac Five, or rather Brainy; such a sweet nickname. Querl Dox was his birth name."

Somehow that made Superman feel even worse; he hadn't even known what name Brainy had been born with until it came time to put it on a grave marker.

"It's too bad too," the woman continued, stepping closer and playing a bit with Brainy's hair as Superman was sure a real nurse would not have done. "If he had paid attention to his own body this could have been prevented; he could have lived a full life."

"That's not fair," Superman hadn't meant to snap at her but the words came out before he even fully thought them. He wanted to scream, demand why Brainy, who had so much taken from him hadn't been given something as simple as a chance.

"Life isn't fair boy," a man's voice came that made Superman switch his gaze to the other dark corner of the room.

This time the obvious disguise the man wore was that of a janitor, using a mop that Superman knew didn't even exist in this time anymore. He wondered if this man liked to change his appearance, why he didn't do anything about the fairly large and almost twisted nose springing out from his face.

"But that doesn't mean things can't be changed," the man said more to the woman than to Superman, smiling crookedly.

"What did you have in mind?" the woman asked, turning her attention to the man.

"A wager," the man announced. "I bet that this boy, even if taken to the Land of the Remembered would not be able to find his beloved before the end of this Day of the Dead, let alone convince him to return."

The woman turned and looked Superman over, Superman feeling her gaze as if something was gently sweeping over his body, trying to see how he worked, before she smiled and returned her attention to the man.

"I bet that he can," said the woman, "But what are the stakes?"

"Relatively simple ones for this one my love; if this boy can find and convince his beloved to return to the land of the living then his beloved shall live again. If he cannot then they shall both stay dead," said the man, "But the boy cannot tell his beloved that he will die if the beloved does not return; that would just be cheating."

"Yes and we certainly would not want cheating," smiled the woman as if it was an old joke between them. "But you know who this is; if he dies then the land of the living will be greatly altered; possibly destroyed."

"Do you really believe time in so inflexible my dear?" the man waved his hand dismissed the notion, "If he falls, another will rise to be the savior of his time."

The woman paused, only briefly, before she nodded, "It's a bet," and they shook hands on it.

Now the man turned to Superman again, "What do you boy? Are you willing to risk your life to bring back your beloved?"

Though Superman did not understand why this man kept referring to Brainy as his beloved but he could not help but think of the fear factory, when he thought he had failed Brainy before and caused him to die. When he held what he thought of was his friend's body and how, if he did nothing, how he would have to do the same again.

"I am willing to risk anything for Brainy to come back," Superman agreed, though he didn't know how these two could make such a thing possible or what to make of any of their conversation when they had spoken as if he wasn't there.

Superman blinked and there was no longer a fake nurse or a fake janitor before him. Now two figures towered over him; the man endowing darkness despite the glowing green candles on his shoulders, looking like he was made of tar with his black feathered wings, purple double headed serpent's staff and eyes like the candle's flames that peered at him with little red skulls instead of pupils. Beside the darkness was the glow of true candle light, soft and warm in the form of the woman that sparkled like sugar crystals, beautifully and brightly painted as she seemed to float instead of walk in her red gown and candled hat, adorned by flowers.

The woman came over to Superman like a gentle autumn's breeze and raised both of her hands to touch Superman's forehead. He could feel something form and be left behind as she grazed her fingers from the center of his forehead, up and outward before cascading down his temple and cheeks to his jaw line.

"These Sugar Skull markings shall allow you into the Land of the Remembered even though you are still alive," the woman explained, her smile not only gentle but encouraging now, "You only have until midnight to find Brainy and convince him to return; if you can do that you will both awaken here."

"And if you cannot, staying dead with your beloved is very Shakespearian isn't it?" the man tapped his fingers on the heads of his serpent staff.

"Why do you keep calling Brainy that?" Superman finally asked.

The man laughed, "So willing to die for him and yet not understanding why."

"You must go," said the woman before Superman could question the man further and suddenly shoved him, causing Superman to fall further than to the ground.

Before Superman opened his eyes again he could hear music, much like he heard on the way to the Coroner as they passed the Sugar Skull candy and candles along the street. When he opened his eyes he saw lights and balloons, confetti and floats all together in a party like he had never seen before. All around him people in skeleton costumes were eating, drinking, dancing, singing and celebrating with such joy that was almost unreal.

Only a moment passed though before Superman realized that even the animals were skeletons and none of the people were wearing costumes. Panicked, Superman tried to fly above them but only fell to the ground, the music around him never ceasing.

"Easy there newbie," a new man's voice admonished him and offered him a skeletal hand to help him to his feet. "Take your time to take it all in."

Superman almost wanted to refuse this hand but took it and stood, a bit shakily but at least he was on his feet again.

This skeletal man looked like he had been a soldier with a blue uniform shirt covered in metals. He had short brown hair, a mustache and instead of eyes he had an empty socket, one eye covered by a patch, but somehow the uncovered eye had a glowing yellow pupil gazed at him.

"You're still alive," the skeletal man did not release Superman's hand.

"I need to find my friend," Superman managed to pull his hand away. "I don't have much time before we're both stuck here."

"Sounds like La Muerte and Xibalba have another wager going," a skeletal woman joined them, long brown hair in a high ponytail with the same glowing yellow pupils. Her skull was painted similarly to the woman back in the morgue while the skeletal man only seemed to have carvings on his face.

"Who," Superman asked, "Do you mean the tarred man and the sugar woman?"

The skeletal man and woman before him laughed and Superman watched, fascinated, that their skulls moved like faced with expression and smiles.

"That would be them," the skeletal man confirmed.

Another skeletal man joined them, looking like a bull fighter but with a guitar on his back as he asked, "What was the wager?"

Superman explained it to them and the skeletal trio introduced themselves. The solider was Joaquín, the woman was Maria and the musical bull fighter was Manolo. They volunteered to help Superman find Brainy and with a declaration of, "never give, never surrender" they were off helping him explore this vast after life.

None of Superman's powers worked in this world. He didn't know if it was due to the magic that brought him here or if his abilities would have been considered cheating in the wagering deities' wager.

Hours passed and there was no sign of Brainy. Many new people had arrived that day and scattered all around, making finding each one all the more time consuming.

"We're running out of time," Maria lamented. "We need more help."

"Let's ask my family; it will at least help us search more ground quicker," Manolo suggested, leading the group towards a line of floats.

On the floats were more bull piñatas and dancing and many members of Manolo's family, many of them also bull fighters. Among the dancers were twin soldier sisters, seeming to be sharing the same dance partner, making him go back and forth between them as they seemed to be teaching him the moves.

Even without flesh Superman instantly recognized Brainy.

For some reason Superman had thought Brainy's bones would be green but his skeleton was white like any humans but instead of carvings he had green swirls painted on his face with yellow flowers, one of which sat on his forehead where the bottom circle of his Brainiac emblem used to be. That yellow flower was rounder than the others with black dots inside, reminding Superman a bit of the Legionnaire crest. The white lab coat Brainy's body had been wearing was gone, leaving only his Legion uniform, and his hair was down as he attempted to dance with the sisters.

"Brainy," Superman rushed towards him.

Brainy looked up, visibly startled even with his glowing yellow pupils. He stepped back from the twins and toward Superman in a perplexed fashion, "Superman?"

Once close enough Superman took hold of Brainy's hands, "Brainy you have to come back with me!"

"Go back?" Brainy questioned, "I can't; I'm dead."

It was said so acceptingly that Superman had to restrain himself from yelling at him, "You don't have to be! You can come back with me like, like Orpheus went back to the underworld to bring back his wife; I came here for you!"

"That didn't end well Clark," Brainy said in a way that sounded fond.

"There's no stipulation like Orpheus though," Superman tried to explain. "I can look at you all I want; all you have to do is agree to come back."

Brainy was silent, looking at Superman before moving to slip his hands away, "There's no reason for me to go back Clark."

"Of course there is," Superman held onto Brainy's hands. "The Legion-"

"Is better off with me gone," Brainy cut in. "My home world wants nothing to do with me and much of the United Planets hate me for what I tried to do."

"What Brainiac tried to do; none of it was you," Superman protested.

"I still allowed him to do it," Brainy argued. "I thought I could redeem myself but there's nothing I could ever do to make up for even a fraction of it."

This time Brainy did slip away and turned his gaze to the world around him, "And I don't think I would be lucky enough to get into this kind of afterlife a second time."

"But what about your life," Superman asked, wanting to take hold of Brainy's hands again. He wanted Brainy closer, not further away.

"I already said there's nothing for me to return to," Brainy reminded him.

Superman remembered Xibalba referring to Brainy as his beloved and took Brainy's hands again, this time pulling him closer, "What about me?"

Before Brainy could question him, Superman leaned in and kissed him softly, the bone feeling odd against his lips but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He wanted to do that, at least once, while he still had lips to kiss with.

Brainy stared at Superman a moment before protesting, "That's not fair" in a tone Superman had never heard from him before, "I don't have lips right now!"

Despite himself, Superman laughed and pulled Brainy closer, embracing him closely, "If you come back, you'll have lips."

"Well, that would certainly be fairer," Brainy reasoned, leaning against Superman a bit before the music faded away.

Superman woke up back at the morgue, holding Brainy's cold hand. He sat up and squeezed the hand but got no response.

Had it all been a dream?

Brainy gasped and bolted up right on the slab, warmth rushing into his body and life pulsing under Superman's fingers.

"You're alive," Superman said slowly, standing and stepping closer to him.

"I am," Brainy panted before frowning, "How are we going to explain this?"

"Who cares?" Superman grinned and took no time wasting, not taking advantage of the return of Brainy's lips.


	3. A Flower A Day

09/23/15

Workforce Wednesday

Went through a couple of ideas before I finally settled on this one, inspired by the list of job AUs by cup-of-hot-coffee on tumblr.

A Flower A Day

The first time Clark came into the flower shop it was with his mother. They were looking for something for a family friend's wedding and Clark's mother Martha was in no rush to pick something so while Martha spoke to the store owner, Imra, Brainy made conversation with Clark so he's stop miming banging his head into the wall whenever Brainy was looking but Martha was not.

As it turned out Clark attended university at the same school Brainy was tutoring at though they had never ran into each other due to Clark being on the track to be a reporter and Brainy tutoring exclusively in the science departments. It was one of the few times someone didn't comment on Brainy being too young to be in college, let alone graduated and a tutor, and it was oddly nice.

Brainy told Clark how he work at Imra's flower shop for a bit of extra money while he waited for the university to have a opening for a full time position for him but thought he might continue to afterward at a lesser extent because he and Imra had become friends and it was interesting to see how elaborate some of the flower arrangements turned out. He definitely wished he could avoid some of the brides that came in when the arrangements didn't meet their even more elaborate expectations.

"Which flower is your favorite?" Clark asked randomly when Imra was brining Martha over to check out.

"It's a bit embarrassing," Brainy admitted, "I rather not say."

After looking around a moment, Clark picked out a rose, a pinkish one with red at the tips of its petals.

"Is it this one?"

"A rose is typical, not embarrassing," Brainy openly rolled his eyes at him.

"Worth a shot," Clark shrugged but then bought the rose afterward and held it out to Brainy, smiling warmly, "It was nice talking to you today."

It took Imra nudging him for Brainy to reach out and take the flower, murmuring that it was nice talking to him too.

The next day Clark returned, bought a yellow carnation, and asked if it was Brainy's favorite flower before giving it to him anyway when the answer was no. The next day it was a white lily, then a dahlia, then a tiger lily, a magnolia, a pansy and so one and so forth until it had almost been a month of Clark returning each day to buy Brainy a flower to see if it was his favorite.

"I could tell you, if you really want to know that badly," Brainy wondered when he would stop blushing when Clark presented him these flowers at he gazed upon his star gazer lily.

"No, I'm an investigating reporter, you can't make it easy on me," Clark grinned and Brainy didn't have the heart to tell him that Clark was still in school, nowhere near being an actual reporter just yet.

The flower buying continued, Brainy coming to expect to see Clark and enjoying seeing him wander around the flower shop to figure out what to try next. Unless they were busy Brainy would spend the whole time watching Clark look around, talking to him about things other than flowers until Clark made his selection. Once Clark snuck up on him and nearly bopped Brainy in the nose with a sun flower but Clark's horrified face just made Brainy laugh rather than be angry.

"Is your favorite flower even in the shop?" Garth asked after Clark left as he came in to provide lunch for Imra's break, offering Brainy a muffin to tide him over as well until his shift was over.

"It is," Brainy made sure not to look in the flower's direction. "Though it's mostly a filler flower then the center pieces Clark has been trying so far."

"It's not baby's breath, is it," Garth actually looked worried.

"No," Brainy figured it was better not to ask why.

Spring finally came in full bloom; the sun shining in the big window by the door and making Brainy want to imitate a cat and bath in it while he napped.

Pulling Brainy away from his daydreaming was the sound of the door chiming, announcing a customer, and forcing Brainy to sit up. He almost slouched again when he saw who it was, but smiled instead.

"Good afternoon," Brainy greeted as Clark approached the counter. "Not going to look around today?"

"Not today," Clark admitted, pulling out a flower from behind his back. "I hope this isn't cheating but I saw you gazing out the window at them and figured it was worth a shot."

Brainy took the daisy and noted that Clark has pulled it up by its roots, dirt still clinging to them, which would make transplant into a pot possible. Still Brainy had to force himself not to frown as he looked back up at Clark.

"Congratulations Mr. Reporter, you've figured it out."

Clark looked so happy; Brainy wanted to be happy for him but found himself already mourning Clark's visits to the shop and almost wished that he had lied.

"Great," Clark almost looked like he could float up he looked so happy, "Now I know what kind of flowers to get."

"Flowers to get," Brainy didn't understand, why would Clark get more flowers now that he had figured it out, "Flowers for what?"

"Flowers for our first date," Clark's voice went soft but peered up at Brainy over the rim of his glasses, cheeks a little redder than normal, "This Friday, if you aren't busy?"

Brainy stared, he blinked and stared some more before finally saying, "I have classes all day after work on Friday," but quickly smiled and added, "But I'm free all day Saturday."

Clark beamed so happily, Brainy sworn he did float up a few inches off the ground.


	4. Kissed By a Rose

09/24/15

Angst Thursday

Inspired by the song of the same name by Seal... which was ironically a song used for a Batman movie...

Kissed By a Rose…

Though no one knew where Brainy had been going when he left, or even awake at the time, Brainy had to convince himself several times not to just turn around and go back. He did not know what possessed him to do this to himself every year or why he insisted on buying a rose each time he did but it became a sort of morbid tradition Brainy could not escape from.

Getting beyond the gate was the hardest part, not because of locks or guards or anything like that. The gate was always opened but Brainy sometimes imagined that if he didn't go through the gate he would be able to leave without doing this but after walking away and back several times he always made his way through.

The first trip had been a lot of fumbling and getting turned around but by now Brainy could make the stroll there blindfolded. He didn't even have to worry about running into anyone because there was rarely ever anyone else there and never on this day.

When at last Brainy made it, he plopped down on the ground. He hadn't done that the first time, or the second or even the twelfth; it felt improper even he didn't believe in the superstitions surrounding these things, especially since he knew the ground underneath him was empty, but it hadn't felt right until years after knowing and then loving the person who this grave was for; Clark Kent.

The grave marker was only that, a marker. A fictional burial place for a person who lived longer than the real man could have and had to fake away his mortality and live as a god for many years after; a different, much grander monument to his life standing in Metropolis than this simple country plot in a small town in Kansas. This place, beside his parents, was where he was sure Clark would have preferred to have been laid to rest rather than the isolation of his monument.

Perhaps that's why Brainy always ended coming back here on the anniversary of Superman's death rather than to the Museum or the actual burial place that had become like a temple over the centuries. This place of tranquility where the wind would be heard rustling the grass outside the iron gates instead of the commotion and music and noise that didn't befit actual mourning.

Early trips had been entirely silent, Brainy having come to visit and stand awkwardly for a bit and leave a flower before rushing out again. Later trips were filled with apologies and sometimes tears but were still short and ending with him rushing out.

Now Brainy sat, absently brushing the petals of the rose against his cheek as he twirled the stem between his fingers and told the marker about Clark's life as Brainy experienced it. Each visit told of years of early growth into his powers and heroic persona, to confidence and victories and near disasters and the mutual growth of their feelings and eventual relationship.

Even after being together all this time, Brainy never told Clark about the visits. How could he admit to mourning someone who was still alive and with him as much as time permitted?

It didn't matter when time would eventually take Clark away from Brainy entirely, even before death. When Clark would need to return to his time and stay there for the good of history and the world of the past no matter how much it would hurt the both of them.

Brainy softly placed a kiss upon the rose before settling it on top of the grave marker and said good bye for another year, not realizing he had also left a tear drop on top of the petals.


	5. The Tower

09/25/15

Fanfiction Friday!

Based on Yu-Gi-Ah's Workforce Wednesday submission entitled "Library AU" on deviantART.

I'm going out of town this weekend so Saturday and Sundays submissions will be late; I apologize in advance.

The Tower

Clark had noticed a tower of books moving around the library out of the corner of his eye several times that day but each time he turned around the tower was gone. Said tower was even growing in size each time it teased its appearance if Clark's imagination had not exaggerated each near sighting.

Honestly the library part time job was rather boring most days. His expectations was gathering research for the librarians, not returning the books of lazy students back to the shelves day in and day out. He wasn't even sure if he had opened a book since he started this job.

Despite his reputation in High School, Clark wasn't some nerd that spent all his time studying. Still he wasn't so far away from that reputation when it came to a good story. He loved the Chronicles of Narnia and Oz and science fiction and fiction in general but with a tendency toward hero stories like Hercules, Arthur's Knights and the occasional Starfleet captain.

The first appearance of the tower of books had instantly piqued Clark's interest. Images of Merlin researching for spells or Hermione Granger looking for a bit of light reading made their way into his mind and he kept looking for the reappearance of the tower as he made his way through the aisles on his own journey of book retrieval and returning to their proper place.

At last Clark spotted the moving book tower, ten or more books now, some of them rather thick. More importantly Clark spotted the bearer of said tower but not a good look because the books were blocking his face. The only thing that Clark could really see of the person besides their legs and clothes was the fact that this person had green hands.

Just as Clark was going to journey forward, he saw the bearer trip a bit on one of the library's mostly red area rugs. The bearer was able to stay upright but it made the balance of the books precarious. Quickly moving back and forth to try to re-steady the books, the bearer managed to stabilize the base but the top of the tower was already too far gone, plummeting to the ground.

Rushing forward with a boost of speed, Clark caught the books and midair, looking up just at the bearer turned with a look of such cute trepidation that Clark couldn't help but smile and offer the books like a knight offering the Holy Grail to King Arthur.

Slowly the bearer blinked, Clark instantly noticed their multi-shaded magenta eyes, striking against their green skin and all of that topped with a sleek blond hair cut. The green skin could belong to a multiple of alien species but the magenta eyes seemed to be a rarity and Clark could quite think of where his bibliophile came from.

"You're Kryptonian," the bearer stated without hesitation. He blinked again and looked down a little, "Thank you for catching the books."

The bearer moved his arms down a little to take the books back but Clark decided to keep them prisoner a little longer.

"It's sacrilegious to let books hit the ground," Clark joked, "But I think it's time I cut you off and escort you to a table so you can make a dent in these," he drew out the last word, tilting his head a little as he peered at his captive.

"Querl," the bearer supplied after a moment, now looking Clark over in an analytical matter, "And you are?"

"Clark, humble protector of books," Clark mocked a little bow, thinking a curtsy might have been funnier but not wanting to chase Querl away.

"Yes, very humble," Querl murmured, heading for the tables and seeming to know Clark would follow. "I've seen you walking around to return the books all day today."

At first Clark was embarrassed but then smiled, "You've noticed me all day?"

Querl's face went slightly greener along his cheeks.


	6. Criminally Smart

10/13/15

Very late entry for September 26: Crossover Saturday as I was out of town that weekend and very busy with work and other things until now.

Brief crossover with Criminal Minds.

Criminally Smart

"You're not human," the words came out of Dr. Reed's mouth as easily as any randomly known fact or statistic he had quoted over the last few days of knowing the young man.

Dr. Reed was a remarkably smart and observant young human male, but Brainy, currently disguised as a human in the 21st century, and didn't think he was that much of a threat until now. Brainy had just been there visiting Clark and happened to run into Dr. Reed while he was in Metropolis investigation a serial killer with his FBI team, the BAU.

At first it had just been a comment on doing a crossword puzzle in pen, then chess games while waiting for breaks in the case and, once the case was over but reports and the media to deal with, there was discussion about human nature and literature and other matters that gave Morgan and Clark headaches and gave him excuse to go watch some sports team in the other room. Between all that what could have given Brainy away in a way Dr. Reed noticed?

"I'm sure you hear that sort of comment all the time," Brainy moved a rook on the chess board, all too aware that extraordinary intelligence was seem as inhuman.

"Yes but I mean it literally," Reed sacrificed a pawn to block the rook from his queen.

Taking the pawn, Brainy looked at it rather than Reed while he spoke, "What makes you make such a ridiculous claim?"

"It's not ridiculous is its true," Reed leaned back in his chair. "A famous Sherlock quote even states, 'once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'."

"And you think it's impossible for me to be human," Brainy kept hold of the pawn as he eyed Dr. Reed.

"Aliens are more common than people think," Reed nodded. "Clark seems as normal as normal can be but you and I both know he's Superman, an alien himself."

"And next you're going to tell me Lois Lane is Wonder Woman," Brainy scoffed, pretending he was talking to Lightning Lad to make it believable.

"You don't have to deny it, I mean you no ill will," Reed leaned forward and took the pawn from Brainy's hand. "You've committed no crime, I have no reason to arrest or detain you; I just wanted to know what you really looked like before we left."

"And what makes you think this isn't what I look like?" Brainy looked back at the chess board. "Superman looks human."

"But he doesn't give off static electricity like you do, as if wrapped in what I assume is a hologram," Reed pointed out, "or blink as infrequently as you do, as if it takes longer because you have bigger eyes or have to remind yourself to do so to look human. There are other things of course but those are the main two."

Brainy paused, trying to think of a lie to weasel out of it or a believable laugh to hide behind the ridiculousness of it all when he was interrupted by Derek shouting for them in the other room. The two geniuses ran into the TV room to find the football game being ignored in favor as Derek doing chin ups on Clark's outstretched arm as Clark floated up in the air.

"Look Pretty Boy, I'm doing chin ups on Superman's arm," Derek grinned.

After a moment, Brainy sighed and deactivated his hologram projector before turning to Reed in exasperation, "We're dating idiots."


	7. Clark Universe

10/14/15

Last belated entry for Artist/Writer's Choice Sunday.

Decided to do another crossover but this time with Steven Universe. This would probably be confusing if you don't watch the show as I've based this on loosely on Steven Universe canon with some alterations and this also has spoilers for recent episodes.

Steven = Clark

Greg = Jor-El

Pearl = Imra

Amethyst = Tinya

Garnet = Luornu

Peridot = Brainy

Clark Universe

Clark was not human, nor was he a Crystal Gem like Imra, who was a Pink Sapphire, Tinya, who was an Onyx, or Luornu, a fusion between three Tourmalines. When Clark was little the Gems went by their Gem names but chose more human names to better blend in on Earth around the time Clark started grade school. Honestly this might have been better accomplished by faking aging for now Clark looked like he was the same age as the women who raised him.

His mother had been a Blue Diamond before she gave up her physical form to bring Clark into the world. Unlike the others she had never picked a more human name but everyone always referred to her as "Blue" when they spoke to her. Half the time Clark forgot that his mother's gem was the same diamond that sat on his stomach now.

For most of Clark's life he heard "Blue this" or "Blue that" and Clark knew the Gems and his father Jor-El missed her greatly. When he was old enough to go on missions with the Gems he tried to do what he thought his mother would have done but he often felt himself falling short of their expectations. Clark wondered if he would ever be super enough to fill her shoes.

Sometimes Clark spotted Imra staring at his mother's portrait on the wall, fiddling with her gem that looked like an earring on her right ear, and thought Imra would be happier if it was Blue there rather than Clark. And when Tinya lashed out at his father for taking Blue away from them, pulling at her gem that looked like a barrette holding back her bangs that could never be removed, that Clark knew how much Tinya missed her. And though Luornu, with her three gems over her chest near her collar bone, was the most affectionate with Clark, Clark wondered Luornu was actually looking at him sometimes rather than who he used to be as she did when she looked beyond the present into the future.

As Clark grew older his relationship with the Gems strengthened in some areas and weakened in others. He was still a child to them despite almost being an adult human and was often left behind when they had to go on more dangerous missions or to keep an eye on the Peridot currently keeping residence in his bathroom.

When they first met Peridot the gem looked like a giant robot. Not Transformer giant by any means but more than double them in size. The robotic appearance fell apart like an empty shell when Luornu managed to cut Peridot down, forcing them to their gem state.

Before Peridot, their gem on the center of their forehead, Clark thought all Gems looked like humanoid females even though they were technically genderless. That changed when Clark saw Peridot reform, with the robotic armor gone, Peridot looked more like humanoid boy. Peridot still had green skin and magenta eyes but now without the armor Peridot also had blond hair and a sleeker smaller body; shorter than Clark and the other Gems.

At first Peridot had been terrified when he reformed. He thought Clark and the Gems meant him harm and that everything around him was a weapon. Tinya joked that Peridot was no Brainiac but once Peridot calmed down a bit, Clark thought he was quite smart, able to build Gundam like machines and other devices when allowed to tinker.

Though Peridot was helping the Gems deal with a threat against the planet, the Gems did not trust him yet and did not want to leave him unsupervised at any time. That left Clark to be left behind and watch him whenever the Gems had to leave.

Being left behind bothered Clark at first but he came to enjoy his time with Peridot, showing him rain and other things the Earth had to offer. It was also oddly flattering that Peridot would turn to Clark whenever something new still scared the smaller Gem and Clark often had to restrain himself from calling Peridot the nick name for him he came up with in his head.

Clark tried to not think too much on it as he told Peridot about last July's fireworks, "And then my father-"

"What is a father?" Peridot asked.

"You don't know what a father is?" asked Clark.

"I wouldn't ask if I knew," Peridot snapped.

"Well, uh, it's sort of hard to explain," Clark tried to think of it in Gem terms. "It's sort of like, ah, the result of a fusion but for humans."

"Humans can't fuse," Peridot protested.

"I said like a fusion," Clark clarified. "It's like if two Gems took off a chip of their Gem," he ignored Peridot protesting that Gems would not purposefully damage themselves that way, "and then fused those two pieces together to make a new third Gem. The two original Gems would be that third Gem's parents, typically a father and mother but there are lots of different variants for parents as well. A human named Jor-El is my Father and my mother was Blue Diamond."

"But you are Blue Diamond," Peridot frowned.

"No," Clark sighed. "Blue Diamond gave up her physical form so I could be born, er, made."

"Why would Blue Diamond give up her physical form for you; she never even met you," pointed out Peridot.

Almost immediately Clark's eyes began to sting and he felt a lump building in his throat. He tried to push it back but he felt it growing the more he struggled and soon tears were starting to leak out.

Peridot only stared at first, and then leaned in for a better look at Clark's face. He lifted a hand and touched one of Clark's tears, not quite wiping it away before examining his now wet fingertip.

"You are leaking," Peridot stated before frowning and looking at him. "Is this some sort of outward sign of damage? Did I cause you to be damaged?"

Though Clark wanted to assure Peridot that he hadn't hurt Clark, he couldn't find the strength to speak. He almost jumped when Peridot put his hand on Clark's arm.

"I apologize Clark, I did not mean to cause you damage," Peridot said it so softly that Clark almost missed it.

Slowly Clark smiled, "It's okay Brainy; I'm okay."

Instantly Peridot drew back his hand and yelled at him, "What did you just call me?!"


End file.
